Second Chances
by Reachin-For-The-Stars
Summary: One dead night at the SVU precinct brings in a young girl looking for Olivia, who winds up changing Olivia's life forever, and also changing the life's of those in Olivia's life.
1. Chapter 1

Things at the Special Victims Unit precinct were quiet. Captain Cragen was in his office. Olivia was playing solitaire on her computer. Munch and Fin were in court. Elliot was playing checkers on his computer. Kim was talking to Cragen about a recently closed case.

Elliot and Olivia, recently dating, were also sending Instant messages to each other, despite the fact that they were sitting across from each other.

Everything was calm, for the first time in a long while.

Just then, Fin and Munch got back, and Cragen and Kim came out of the office.

"Things are pretty much dead, guys. You get the weekend off, just make sure your phones are on." Cragen said, and everyone was up, and gathering things.

Then, a young girl walked in. She wore a private school uniform, her long, waist length brown hair pushed out of her face with a black headband, a back pack on her shoulders, purse on her arm. She found Captain Cragen and walked up to him, but looked scared.

"Can I help you?" He asks gently.

"I...someone told me I could find an Olivia Benson here." She said softly, her voice pleading.

Olivia stepped forward, "I'm Olivia Benson."

The girl turned, and looked at her.

"Is there something I can do for you?" Olivia asked gently.

The girl looked at her for a moment, before finally finding the words. She spoke slowly.

"I'm Isabella. I'm twelve years old, Miss Benson. My birthday is March 5th, 1996."

Olivia froze. "Get out of here." She slowly spoke. "Leave, and don't come back."

Isabella looked down, silent. "They said you'd do that." She said softly, looking back up at Olivia. "I just couldn't believe them. I have to see for myself. I didn't believe my own mother hated me." She lifted and dropped her shoulders in a shrug, hopeless. "I guess I just wanted to see for myself. I'm sorry I bothered you." She whispered. "I just wanted to see my mother for myself."

And then Isabella ran out as fast as possible, leaving Olivia with pain, memories, regret, guilt, and five people with questions she thought she'd never have to answer.

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**AN: Sorry it's so short. This is an idea I had, if you want me to continue let me know!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks so much for your reviews, and for your adds to alerts and favorites. I'm so glad you like it! One of you mentioned Olivia being OOC, and I agree, yes she was, but that should be explained in this chapter and the next one. Thanks agsain! Enjoy, read, and review!!**

* * *

"Olivia?" Elliot's voice pulled Olivia out of her trance.

"I...I have to get home." she muttered.

"I think you owe us some answers!" Elliot exclaimed.

"I don't owe you anything, not pertaining to her." Olivia muttered, getting her keys from her desk, and grabbing her coat.

"Olivia, what's going on?" Cragen asked firmly, just as confused as everyone else.

"Nothing. Nothing's going on, now I'm going home," Olivia said, and then swiftly left the precinct.

Elliot watched after her. He'd had no idea she'd had a daughter. She'd never said anything to him. Ever. He was going to get to the bottom of this.

--

Olivia trailed through Central Park. Shock was still coursing through her. She dropped to a bench in the park, and sat back, staring forward, before the tears fighting their way out finally succeeded, and they ran, hot and wet, down her face.

She'd been twenty-five when she gave birth to the pre-teen that'd just been standing in front of her.

It was January 31, 2009. Almost thirteen years ago was the last time she'd seen her. The day she gave birth to her. The day her mother had made Olivia allow the social worker to take her away, to go along with the planned giving up of the little baby.

She remembered….

_Flashback  
__September 8th, 1996_

_"Miss Benson, we ran some tests, and the urine tests, and then the further ultrasounds revealed that you are about three months pregnant." _

_Twenty-Five year old Olivia froze. _

_"N-no!" She yelped at the male doctor. "I can't be pregnant! Not with his baby!" _

_Her mother tried to console her. "Olivia, its just…history repeating it's self…we'll figure this out, I'll help you." She'd said. It didn't help. _

_She didn't know if she could do it. Carry the baby of the man who'd raped her. _

_December 20th, 1996_

_Olivia lay on the examination table, her shirt pulled up to reveal her stomach, as the ultrasound technician moved the transducer over her stomach. _

_"Well Olivia, everything checks out perfectly. Would you like to know the gender?" He asked pleasantly. _

_Olivia slowly nodded. _

_He smiled. "You're having a baby girl." _

_Olivia slowly smiled, and looked at the screen. Her little baby girl. _

_She liked that. _

_February 16th, 1996_

_"Olivia, keeping that baby is the worse idea possible! You're a police officer! You should know that. I don't want you winding up like ME! Just give it up to the state. It'll be better for everyone! I wont let you ruin your life!" Serena yelled at her eight months pregnant, twenty five year old daughter. _

_"I'm twenty five years old, mom, you can't control me anymore! Isabella is my baby!" Olivia shouted back. _

_"I'm your mother, Olivia Serena Benson, and I love you! I just want what's best for you, and keeping that baby is not it! I wont let you do this to yourself. I wont let you make the biggest mistake of your life! You should have aborted it, and stopped that thing form growing!" Serena yelped, slapping her daughter in the face with words. _

_Serena realized her mistake. "Livvy," She sighed, her tone much softer, but Olivia cut her off. _

_"Just stop, Mother. Please just let me sleep. Just leave me alone." _

_Serena slowly left Olivia's apartment, and Olivia sat on her couch, and put her feet up, resting her hands on her stomach. She looked down at it, slowly rubbing her hands in circles, as her baby started kicking. _

_She didn't know what on earth to do. _

_March 5th, 1996_

_Olivia had just endured fifteen painful hours of labor, but it had been successful: she'd given birth to a little girl with no complications. _

_"I want to hold her!" Olivia shouted at her mother again. _

_"Olivia you agreed to giving her up!" _

_"I want to see her." Olivia demanded. _

_Serena signed, but went and came back with a nurse with the baby. _

_Olivia held her, looking down at her with awe. _

_She had her for about ten minutes, before a social worker came in. "Miss Benson, I have a tight schedule, I have to take her now." _

_Olivia nodded with dread. She wanted her baby. _

_But, she thought maybe her mother was right. Maybe this'd be better for Isabella, and herself. _

_Olivia kissed her forehead. "I love you. I'll always love you," She whispered, before, with a heavy heart, she handed her off to the social worker who had her sign a birth certificate, which would be sealed by the state…and then she was gone. _

_Her baby was taken from her life. _

_And she'd let it happen. _

_EFB_

"Liv," A soft voice and arms wrapping around her pulled her from her memories. She looked up, and saw Elliot. Instead of brushing him off, and running away, she caved against him.

He softly rubbed the small of her back, and whispered words of comfort in her ear.

"H-how'd you find me?" Olivia managed to gulp out once some of her cries had ceased, her face still buried against his chest.

"I know you, Liv. You always come here when you're upset."

"I…I want to go home." She muttered.

"I'll take you." He offered.

"Fine but…. I don't want to talk about this now, El. Please. I just want to rest. I need to think," She pleaded. She sounded so vulnerable, as she pleaded.

He kissed her forehead. "Ok. I promise. I wont bug you. Just let me be there for you, Liv. I love you."

She sighed. "I love you too. And alright."

--

_Sally's Restaurant, _

_New York City_

Isabella Katrina Doe walked slowly in to her foster mom's restaurant. She lives with Sally, her foster mom, Jim, her foster dad, and thirteen other kids, all varying in ages.

Only two of the fourteen kids living in their home were Sally and Jim's biological children, the other twelve were foster kids.

All of the kids living in the house were over the age of ten; all of them attended 'Manhattan Private School,' because Jim was the headmaster of it, and all of the kids twelve and over worked in Sally's restaurant.

Isabella was twelve and had been in a total of thirteen foster homes.

This one was the worse.

They were constantly telling her how her mother had hated her. That she was stupid and didn't deserve a family.

Her interests in finding her mother had been there since she was old enough to understand what had happened. And when she started getting paid for working at the restaurant, she'd found a cheap Private Investigator and poof! She found her answers.

As the yelling for being late to work started from her foster mother, and as she began to work, Isabella's mind strayed to her mother…the mother she wanted so desperately.

To love her, to accept her, to understand her. To just be there for her. She wanted her mother. The one who's carried her for nine months, the one who'd given birth to her, the one that was supposed to unconditionally love her.

"Let's go, girl, hurry up, get to work, and stop moping! This is the only thing you'll ever be good enough for, so don't screw it up!" Sally hissed.

The insults usually flew right past her.

But they'd all been right. Her own mother didn't want her. When the woman who you were a part of didn't want you…you had to be a screw up.

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**So now you know what happened that brough Isabella about, and more about Olivia's outlook, you got some EO, and a small look in to Isabella's life. **

**Review please, and I'll update ASAP. **

**-Audri**


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Olivia woke in her bed in her apartment. She slowly got up and out of bed, and traveled in to the living room, and then the kitchen, where she found Elliot.

"Good morning," He said, kissing her softly. "Feeling better?"

She shrugged. "Not particularly."

"I made coffee…I was just about to wake you up…Don called….he wants all of us to get to some restaurant.

Olivia groaned. "I thought we had the weekend off."

"He didn't give details, he just wants us there." Elliot informed his girlfriend. "I'm going to head to my apartment and get ready. I'll come back in an hour and pick you up?"

Olivia nodded. "Ok. Thanks, El."

He nodded, hugged her, and kissed her. "I love you," He said softly.

She smiled slightly. "I love you, too."

--

Across town, Isabella tiredly shuffled from table to table, setting the places for opening at eight. It was seven forty-five. She'd been kept at the restaurant working until late the night before.

"Hurry up, kids!" Sally hissed, coming through the door from the kitchen. Then her gaze landed on Bella. She had the most tables to do. "You useless little girl, hurry up, or you'll work extra hours. Stop slacking, I do so much for you and this is how you repay me?!"

"I'm sorry, Sally, I'm just tired," Bella said, tired.

"What did you call me?" Sally hissed.

"I mean I'm sorry _mom_." Bella quickly corrected, wincing. She hated calling her that. Sally wasn't her mother.

"That's better. And hurry up!" She hissed, before stalking off to go complain at someone else.

They'd gotten a new foster kid this morning, a fifteen-year-old girl. Jocelyn walked up to Isabella, and timidly asked, "Is this what you guys do every weekend?"

Isabella nodded. "And after school. And if she's feeling particularly mean, before school too."

"That sounds horrible." Jocelyn said, sighing. "I miss my mom. I want my mother."

Isabella nodded, turned away, and began setting again, quickly, mouthing silently to herself, '_welcome to my life.' _

--

Olivia and Elliot walked in to the restaurant that their captain had requested they meet at, and sought out their co-workers and boss. They found them at a table in the corner, and went over, and sat.

They also had a surprise guest.

"Casey!" Olivia exclaimed, hugging her best friend. "What are you doing here?"

"Don called." Casey said, "And I missed the gang."

"Liv, Elliot, sit," Don said, a request and order all in one.

They did, and once they'd all ordered, he spoke.

"Olivia…" He started.

"I know, Cap," Olivia sighed. A few moments later, she began. "Isabella…I never thought I'd see her again." Olivia started softly. Elliot took her hand under the table. "I was twenty five when I had her. She…she was the product of my rape."

Everyone was shocked.

"When I first found out," Olivia went on, "I freaked. I didn't think I could do it. But then, as the time went on…I wanted to keep her, more then anything. My mother thought It'd be a bad idea. And I let her convince me she was right. The day I gave birth, March 5th, 1996…it went well. I gave birth to her. She was perfect," Olivia said, tearfully smiling at the memory of seeing her baby for the first time. "She was a little angel. I got to hold her for ten minutes. Then the social worker took her away. My mom had me convinced her life would be better. And I was afraid I'd turn out like my mom! She had me, the product of her rape, and she turned in to an alcoholic!"

Elliot had his arm around her shoulder, as she cried well she talked, still low enough for only their group to hear.

"And so…I signed the birth certificate. And I let them take her away. My little girl…I let my mother convince me to let them take her away."

"Liv," Fin asked softly, "If you wanted her, then how come you flipped out when you saw her?"

"Because…I don't know! It brought all the memories flooding back! Not of the rape…I got over that a while ago. But…the memories of what my mother turned in to. What if her life is good? She deserves everything life has to offer. She's all I want. I want my baby, but I just cant do that to her!" Olivia claimed.

"Olivia what would you be doing to her?" Elliot asked, reaching up, wiping away some of the tears.

"Liv, you're my best friend," Casey said, gently taking her friends free hand. "Olivia, you wouldn't be doing anything to her."

"You'd be giving her the mother she deserves, Livia," Elliot said softly. "We all saw her yesterday. She came looking for you, so she obviously wants you. Before you jump to conclusions you should at lease talk to her. Or at least figure out what her life is like. You could be the answer to her prayers. You aren't your mother, Olivia. Your mother loved you, but she just couldn't get over the rape. You said you got past it. You have the power to be everything that girl needs. At least just think about it."

Olivia slowly reached up, wiping her eyes. "I'll…I'll think about it." She finally agreed.

"Liv…was your case ever solved?" Don asked.

"No." She said quietly. "They never found him. But I don't want the case brought back to the front, Don. I've forgotten. Please just let it be."

Don sighed, but nodded. "Fine. Only for you. Now lets eat."

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**AN: sorry it's short, but it had to be stopped there. Thanks for all your reviews, and adds to alerts and favorites. I posted a link to the banner i made for this story in my profile. Check it out and let me know what you think of it! I hope you liked this chapter. Review?**

**-Audri**


	4. Chapter 4

One week later, Sally was bringing all the foster kids to the ACS building for meetings with their social workers.

Isabella was brought to Annie's office, and she sat in the chair in front of the desk, and waited.

Five minutes later, the door opened, and Annie stepped in, smiling. "Hello, Bella. I have someone with me today that wants to talk to you." She said, then stood back.

Olivia walked in, and Isabella's mouth dropped open.

"Bella, this is Detective Olivia Benson. This is your birth mom, as I've been told you know. She wants to speak with you. Is that ok?" Annie asked.

Bella nodded slowly, and so Annie smiled, and stepped out, "I'll be back in ten minutes."

"The last time I saw you, with the exception of last week, was the day you were born," Olivia said softly, a period of time after Annie left.

"Which was the worse day of your life?" Bella asked, looking anywhere but Olivia, her voice breaking. Olivia sunk in to the chair beside Bella, after moving it to face her.

"Far from, actually." Olivia said softly. "Well part of it was the worse. Part of that day was when I made the worse decision of my life. The minute Annie walked away with you…that was the worse moment of my life. But before that…the minute I saw your face…the minute I held you in my arms, Isabella…that was the best day of my life. Since that minute they took you from me, my life has felt…so empty." Olivia told her, tears in her eyes.

"T-then w-w-why'd you l-let them take me?" Bella, now in tears, sobbed out.

"Because my mother had me convinced you'd be better off." Olivia admitted, looking down, ashamed of herself. "I wasn't strong then, Isabella. My mother had all the control over me she wanted. I have a past…a past that's not pretty. But that's a story for another time…I just want to let you know I'm sorry for everything I've done to you. I'm so sorry, for making you think I didn't care. I've thought about you every day since the day you left my arms. I started loving you the minute I found out I was pregnant, and I've never stopped."

Both of them were in tears at that point, but Isabella pushed herself forward, out of her chair, and wound up in Olivia's arms.

Olivia slowly wrapped her arms around her tight, and lifted her to her lap, slowly rocking her back and fourth. She had no idea what she was doing…but this is what her mother never had done.

Her mother had never held her while she cried.

Her mother had never rocked her, never tried to help her heal the hurt.

Her mother had never been there for Olivia the way a mother should.

And as Olivia held her daughter, she silently vowed, that she'd be able to be the mother she herself hadn't had to this child.

Her child.

Her baby.

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**AN: Again, sorry it's a short chapter. Hopefully you're all happy with it! But, it's not gunna be all easy...she just cant get her back. Who knows how easy, or how hard it'll be? **

**Well...I do, but that's beside the point.**

**And oh my gosh, guys, thanks SO much for all the reviews. I logged on to my email after school and I was blown away with the amount of review alerts, and favorite author alerts, and subscription alerts. This means SO much to me, I'm so glad you like this!**

**Review please!**

**-Audri**


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